Technical Field
This disclosure relates generally to communication via wireless networks, and relates particularly to voice communication via a wireless ad hoc network.
Description of the Related Art
In some cases, conditions for direct audio communication between users in close proximity may be less than ideal. For example, where two individuals are in close proximity in a noisy environment, direct (i.e. spoken) audio communication between the individuals may be difficult in view of interference from ambient noise, which can hinder one or both individuals from being able to distinguish words spoken by the other individual. Such ambient noises may require both individuals to approach within a certain proximity of each other, which can hinder freedom of movement of one or both users for the duration of the direct communication. In some cases, unhindered freedom of movement of one or both users may be desirable. For example, the users may desire to maintain a minimum distance between each other for cultural reasons, lack of familiarity with each other, a desire to avoid impinging upon each other's personal space, a desire to minimize contact with bodily odors and discharges of other individuals, some combination thereof, etc.
While the advent of mobile communication devices, including cellular communication devices, satellite communication devices, Internet communication systems, etc., has enabled mobile communication among individuals in a variety of locations, mobile communication systems may not be ideal for enabling communication between users in close proximity with each other. In particular, many mobile communication systems, including cellular communication systems, satellite communication systems, Voice over IP (VoIP) communications using an Internet connection, communications using a Wi-Fi® LAN connection, etc. can have latencies (e.g., 500 milliseconds) which can result from signals between devices being routed through various network nodes between the two devices (e.g., routers, cell towers, satellites, etc.). Such latencies can, in close-proximity settings, hinder communications between users. For example, where two users communicating with each other via cellular communication devices over a cellular network are within sufficiently close proximity such that a user can perceive body gestures and at least some vocal sounds generated by the other user, latencies associated with the cellular connection can result in a perceptible temporal discontinuity between audio signals received from the other user via an audio interface of the user's cellular device and the directly-observed body gestures and sounds of the other user.
Furthermore, configurations of many communication devices can complicate, if not outright hinder, close-proximity audio communications between users, as time requirements involved in establishing audio communication with particular users can have a pronounced effect when users are in close proximity. For example, a user desiring to establish audio communication with another user in close proximity via a cellular phone may need to access a contact address database in the cellular phone via a contact address application, navigate to a contract entry in the database which is associated with the other user, identify and select a contact address in the entry, and wait for a connection link to be established with another cellular phone of the other user, all while the other user remains in close proximity. Such a process can impose time delays, in addition to the above-described latencies, on voice communication which can be more pronounced when the users desiring to communicate are within close proximity. In some cases, the process for establishing a voice communication session over communication devices can require more time than the session itself. In addition, where a user desires to initiate voice communication with a another user for whom the user does not have a present contact address entry, the above process can be lengthened by a process of acquiring contact address information, inputting such information into the user's communication device, etc. Such a configuration is less than ideal.